Chapter 95: Third Miss’s Change of Heart

The two groups confronted each other, exchanging taunts and sarcasm. Yang Xiaosi gave an awkward, bitter smile, feeling helpless and powerless.

Throughout the whole process, Liu Liwa stayed silent. It was obvious the girls were going to spend money at Miss Zhao’s Clothing Boutique, from which he would receive a forty percent share. Only a fool would speak up and ruin his own business!

No matter how much the two groups of women argued, they couldn’t argue themselves men or silver taels—they were only wasting their breath. So, after a few pointless words, the girls from the second floor withdrew as a group. They had already paid yesterday and would enjoy an eighty percent discount today.

At the same time, it was declared that the first round of the covert battle between the first floor and the second floor had ended with a great victory for the first floor. The girls were very happy and decided that the ‘celestial maiden’ girls who had earned a lot of silver taels last night would pool their money to buy some delicious food to celebrate the victory and also celebrate Liu Liwa’s promotion.

Everyone was together, joyful and warm, just like a big family, showing that even a Pleasure House could have love!

Unfortunately, the two girls who went out to buy the delicious food hadn’t returned yet when everyone first caught sight of Young Master Ye. This guy had gotten drunk with Wen Jun yesterday and was arranged to stay in rooms on the third and Fourth Floor respectively. Wen Jun had gone back to the military Yamen early in the morning, while Young Master Ye’s whereabouts were unknown—until he finally showed up now.

Young Master Ye rushed in frantically from outside. As soon as he saw Liu Liwa, he looked as if he was about to cry. However, there were still many girls and leftover warriors present, so Young Master Ye held back, looking as if he was constipated. Liu Liwa quickly invited him up to the third floor to the room reserved for him. As soon as the door closed, Young Master Ye wailed, “Liu Xiaoqi, Xiaoqi, Brother Xiaoqi, this time you must help me!”

In that short time, he had given him three titles—it seemed to be an urgent matter. Liu Liwa pulled him to sit down and asked, “Young Master Ye, don’t be anxious first. Even when hanging oneself, one must catch a breath. Whatever the matter is, speak slowly.”

“I can’t go slow! If I’m any slower, Third Young Miss will leave me!” Young Master Ye was so anxious he was almost crying.

Liu Liwa was puzzled and said, “Leave you? Didn’t you get along very well yesterday? You moved her with your kindness, and she moved you with her gentleness…”

“That was yesterday afternoon, but last night it changed.” Young Master Ye said mournfully.

Liu Liwa broke out in a sweat. They say a woman’s face changes as fast as counting money, but not this fast! Young Master Ye said anxiously, “Yesterday afternoon was originally fine, but when I went to look for her in the evening, I happened to see a few ruffles harassing a common woman. At that time, the woman was about to be pulled into a dark alley and bullied. Third Young Miss was extremely worried, and I was also filled with righteous indignation. In this peaceful and prosperous world, under the clear sky, there were actually wicked villains daring to commit crimes! At that moment, anger rose in my heart, and wickedness surged to my courage. Images of heroes flashed through my mind…”

Seeing how engrossed he was in his story and how he intentionally paused, Liu Liwa played along and asked, “Who did you think of at that time?”

Young Master Ye immediately slapped the table and stood up, saying vividly, “At that time, I thought of countless great and glorious heroic figures: Kong Rong of Han, who at four years old yielded pears and understood the virtue of humility; Huang Xiang, who at nine warmed the bed for his parents; Gan Luo of Qin, who at twelve possessed the talent of a prime minister; Zhou Yu of Wu, who at thirteen was appointed commander of the naval forces, leading thousands of troops and horses, holding military authority over six commanderies and eighty-one prefectures, using the ‘bitter flesh’ scheme, presenting the interlocking chains plan, borrowing the east wind, and burning the warships, making Cao Cao flee in panic, almost losing his life in the river…”

Liu Liwa listened, feeling stirred, and casually continued, “Good, what you said are the ‘young’ ones.”

Young Master Ye said, “Exactly.”

Liu Liwa said, “Then I must speak of the ‘old’ ones.”

Young Master Ye said, “I’m listening.”

Liu Liwa said, “Huang Zhong was sixty when he followed Liu Bei; Tokugawa Ieyasu was seventy when he fought for dominion; Jiang Ziya was eighty when he became prime minister; Lady She was a hundred when she took command; Sun Wukong was five hundred when he journeyed to the West for scriptures; Bai Suzhen was over a thousand when she came down the mountain to fall in love… Wait, why are we performing a comic dialogue? What exactly are you trying to say?”

Young Master Ye was also covered in black lines: “Don’t randomly chime in! You’ve mixed me up. Where was I?”

“You said you saw ruffles harassing a woman, and you and Third Miss Zhao were filled with indignation. At that time, you thought of helping and recalled predecessors like Kong Rong and Zhou Yu,” Liu Liwa reminded him.

“Yes!” Young Master Ye slapped his thigh, gnashing his teeth, and said, “Just as I thought of these great predecessors, I looked again at those ruffles and scoundrels, and felt as if three spirits were jumping in fury, the heroic spirit of the five tombs arose, a ball of fiery anger burned in my chest, and wicked rage rushed straight to my crown. I gave a loud shout and was about to charge over to reason with those ruffles…”

“Ah?” Liu Liwa didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “After all that fanfare, bringing out so many heroic images, you mean you were just going over to reason with them?”

Young Master Ye said righteously, “I am but a scholar; conquering with virtue is my life’s principle. Of course, if reasoning failed, I was prepared to confront them with real action. But just at that moment, out of nowhere, a Black-Clad Figure appeared, wearing a bamboo hat and a black veil covering his face. He rushed forward first and, with just three punches and two kicks, knocked those ruffles to the ground. That Black-Clad Figure came like a swift wind and left like a flash of lightning; before we could come to our senses, he had already vanished without a trace.”

Liu Liwa wiped his cold sweat, gritted his back teeth, and really felt like kicking him. After all that talk, he hadn’t taken action—he just watched from the sidelines. At least he didn’t forget to praise the unknown hero who actually saved the day; that showed he had a conscience. But what did any of this have to do with Third Young Miss?

Young Master Ye gazed into the distance, paying tribute to that good-hearted person who came and went without a trace, then finally recovered and said with a mournful face, “It was all because I hesitated at that time, thinking of those heroic figures. Otherwise, I would have rushed up long ago to rescue that woman. Who would have thought he would take the opportunity and act first?”

Why don’t you just drop dead! Liu Liwa was fuming with anger. He was truly speechless toward this educated second-generation type—they talk a big game, but even getting a splinter would make them cry out in pain. Liu Liwa mercilessly despised him in his heart. But Young Master Ye suddenly sighed and said, “It’s all because of my moment of hesitation that Third Young Miss, my third sister, her heart clear as crystal, again rippled with waves.”

Damn, Liu Liwa’s goosebumps surged. He even used “rippled waves,” and “third sister”—if Third Miss went to the Yamen first to report you!

Liu Liwa held back his anger and asked irritably, “Brother, what exactly are you trying to say? Just say it directly!”

“I want to say…” Young Master Ye immediately changed his expression to one of grievance, sniffled, and said, “My third sister might have changed her heart. After that Black-Clad Figure left, she didn’t want to pay attention to me anymore. She even said that only a chivalrous hero like that Black-Clad Figure, dark as night, coming and going like the wind, saving people in distress, doing good deeds without leaving a name—only such a person is the true hero in her heart, someone worthy of entrusting her life to!”

Liu Liwa broke out in sweat again. Young Master Ye was unreliable, and that Third Miss Zhao was similarly underdeveloped, still at an age infatuated with heroes, and liking this kind of roaming chivalrous type who comes and goes like the wind. Thankfully, the young girl hadn’t seen Spider-Man, or she’d be climbing up the beams every day looking for spiders…